NewzIntel.com

Category: Americas

  • You cannot be serious! Wimbledon line-calling system under fire after glitch

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Wimbledon‘s automated line-calling technology came under fire on Sunday after an embarrassing malfunction robbed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova of a point during her last-16 victory over Britain’s Sonay Kartal on Centre Court.

    Russian Pavlyuchenkova had reached game point at 4-4 in the opening set and Kartal hit a shot that looked clearly long but there was no call and Pavlyuchenkova stopped play.

    An automated voice call of “STOP STOP” rang out and confusion reigned as umpire Nico Helwerth sought advice from tournament organisers via telephone.

    Television replays showed that Kartal’s shot was clearly out, yet Helwerth ruled that because the Hawk-Eye technology had not tracked the ball, the point must be replayed.

    Pavlyuchenkova went on to have her serve broken and was clearly fuming at the changeover, telling the umpire: “Because she is local, they can say whatever. You took the game away from me. They stole the game from me. You stole the game from me”.

    The 34-year-old quickly regrouped and showed the resilience that has marked her long career by reaching the quarter-finals with a 7-6(3) 6-4 win.

    But the main talking point was the first big glitch of Wimbledon‘s automated line-calling system that has replaced human line judges this year.

    OPERATOR ERROR

    Tournament officials later said the problem had been caused by operator error and that the umpire had followed the correct protocols, although Pavlyuchenkova felt that he should have intervened to correct an obvious mistake.

    “We were waiting for a decision as the system was down, but I was expecting to hear if they said the ball was in or out,” Pavlyuchenkova told reporters.

    “Instead they just said, replay the point. It was tricky especially as it was a very crucial moment in the match.

    “I expected a different decision. I just thought also the chair umpire could take the initiative. That’s why he’s there sitting on the chair. He also saw it (was) out, he told me after the match. I thought he would do that, but he didn’t.

    “I think it’s also difficult for him. He probably was scared to take such a big decision.”

    Asked how she would have felt if the point had cost her the match, Pavlyuchenkova raised a smile: “I would just say that I hate Wimbledon and never come back here.”

    KARTAL UNSIGHTED

    Kartal said she had been unsighted as to whether her shot was out and was equally confused at the time.

    “That situation is a rarity. I don’t think it’s really ever happened,” she said. “It’s tough luck. What can you do? The umpire is trying his best. I think he handled it fine.”

    Pavlyuchenkova, who felt a back-up system should be in place, is not the first person this week to question the automated line-calling system.

    Britain’s Emma Raducanu claimed there were wrong calls during her loss to Aryna Sabalenka.

    “No, I don’t (trust the system) — I think the other players would say the same thing, there were some pretty dodgy ones but what can you do?,” she said after her defeat.

    Britain’s Jack Draper also believed it was not 100% accurate while Swiss player Belinda Bencic said this week that it was a hot topic in the locker rooms.

    Pavlyuchenkova said it was something that needed to be addressed.

    “I think since we have already automatic line-calling and so much invested into this, we should probably look into something else to have better decisions on it,” she said.

    -Reuters

  • You cannot be serious! Wimbledon line-calling system under fire after glitch

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Wimbledon‘s automated line-calling technology came under fire on Sunday after an embarrassing malfunction robbed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova of a point during her last-16 victory over Britain’s Sonay Kartal on Centre Court.

    Russian Pavlyuchenkova had reached game point at 4-4 in the opening set and Kartal hit a shot that looked clearly long but there was no call and Pavlyuchenkova stopped play.

    An automated voice call of “STOP STOP” rang out and confusion reigned as umpire Nico Helwerth sought advice from tournament organisers via telephone.

    Television replays showed that Kartal’s shot was clearly out, yet Helwerth ruled that because the Hawk-Eye technology had not tracked the ball, the point must be replayed.

    Pavlyuchenkova went on to have her serve broken and was clearly fuming at the changeover, telling the umpire: “Because she is local, they can say whatever. You took the game away from me. They stole the game from me. You stole the game from me”.

    The 34-year-old quickly regrouped and showed the resilience that has marked her long career by reaching the quarter-finals with a 7-6(3) 6-4 win.

    But the main talking point was the first big glitch of Wimbledon‘s automated line-calling system that has replaced human line judges this year.

    OPERATOR ERROR

    Tournament officials later said the problem had been caused by operator error and that the umpire had followed the correct protocols, although Pavlyuchenkova felt that he should have intervened to correct an obvious mistake.

    “We were waiting for a decision as the system was down, but I was expecting to hear if they said the ball was in or out,” Pavlyuchenkova told reporters.

    “Instead they just said, replay the point. It was tricky especially as it was a very crucial moment in the match.

    “I expected a different decision. I just thought also the chair umpire could take the initiative. That’s why he’s there sitting on the chair. He also saw it (was) out, he told me after the match. I thought he would do that, but he didn’t.

    “I think it’s also difficult for him. He probably was scared to take such a big decision.”

    Asked how she would have felt if the point had cost her the match, Pavlyuchenkova raised a smile: “I would just say that I hate Wimbledon and never come back here.”

    KARTAL UNSIGHTED

    Kartal said she had been unsighted as to whether her shot was out and was equally confused at the time.

    “That situation is a rarity. I don’t think it’s really ever happened,” she said. “It’s tough luck. What can you do? The umpire is trying his best. I think he handled it fine.”

    Pavlyuchenkova, who felt a back-up system should be in place, is not the first person this week to question the automated line-calling system.

    Britain’s Emma Raducanu claimed there were wrong calls during her loss to Aryna Sabalenka.

    “No, I don’t (trust the system) — I think the other players would say the same thing, there were some pretty dodgy ones but what can you do?,” she said after her defeat.

    Britain’s Jack Draper also believed it was not 100% accurate while Swiss player Belinda Bencic said this week that it was a hot topic in the locker rooms.

    Pavlyuchenkova said it was something that needed to be addressed.

    “I think since we have already automatic line-calling and so much invested into this, we should probably look into something else to have better decisions on it,” she said.

    -Reuters

  • You cannot be serious! Wimbledon line-calling system under fire after glitch

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Wimbledon‘s automated line-calling technology came under fire on Sunday after an embarrassing malfunction robbed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova of a point during her last-16 victory over Britain’s Sonay Kartal on Centre Court.

    Russian Pavlyuchenkova had reached game point at 4-4 in the opening set and Kartal hit a shot that looked clearly long but there was no call and Pavlyuchenkova stopped play.

    An automated voice call of “STOP STOP” rang out and confusion reigned as umpire Nico Helwerth sought advice from tournament organisers via telephone.

    Television replays showed that Kartal’s shot was clearly out, yet Helwerth ruled that because the Hawk-Eye technology had not tracked the ball, the point must be replayed.

    Pavlyuchenkova went on to have her serve broken and was clearly fuming at the changeover, telling the umpire: “Because she is local, they can say whatever. You took the game away from me. They stole the game from me. You stole the game from me”.

    The 34-year-old quickly regrouped and showed the resilience that has marked her long career by reaching the quarter-finals with a 7-6(3) 6-4 win.

    But the main talking point was the first big glitch of Wimbledon‘s automated line-calling system that has replaced human line judges this year.

    OPERATOR ERROR

    Tournament officials later said the problem had been caused by operator error and that the umpire had followed the correct protocols, although Pavlyuchenkova felt that he should have intervened to correct an obvious mistake.

    “We were waiting for a decision as the system was down, but I was expecting to hear if they said the ball was in or out,” Pavlyuchenkova told reporters.

    “Instead they just said, replay the point. It was tricky especially as it was a very crucial moment in the match.

    “I expected a different decision. I just thought also the chair umpire could take the initiative. That’s why he’s there sitting on the chair. He also saw it (was) out, he told me after the match. I thought he would do that, but he didn’t.

    “I think it’s also difficult for him. He probably was scared to take such a big decision.”

    Asked how she would have felt if the point had cost her the match, Pavlyuchenkova raised a smile: “I would just say that I hate Wimbledon and never come back here.”

    KARTAL UNSIGHTED

    Kartal said she had been unsighted as to whether her shot was out and was equally confused at the time.

    “That situation is a rarity. I don’t think it’s really ever happened,” she said. “It’s tough luck. What can you do? The umpire is trying his best. I think he handled it fine.”

    Pavlyuchenkova, who felt a back-up system should be in place, is not the first person this week to question the automated line-calling system.

    Britain’s Emma Raducanu claimed there were wrong calls during her loss to Aryna Sabalenka.

    “No, I don’t (trust the system) — I think the other players would say the same thing, there were some pretty dodgy ones but what can you do?,” she said after her defeat.

    Britain’s Jack Draper also believed it was not 100% accurate while Swiss player Belinda Bencic said this week that it was a hot topic in the locker rooms.

    Pavlyuchenkova said it was something that needed to be addressed.

    “I think since we have already automatic line-calling and so much invested into this, we should probably look into something else to have better decisions on it,” she said.

    -Reuters

  • You cannot be serious! Wimbledon line-calling system under fire after glitch

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Wimbledon‘s automated line-calling technology came under fire on Sunday after an embarrassing malfunction robbed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova of a point during her last-16 victory over Britain’s Sonay Kartal on Centre Court.

    Russian Pavlyuchenkova had reached game point at 4-4 in the opening set and Kartal hit a shot that looked clearly long but there was no call and Pavlyuchenkova stopped play.

    An automated voice call of “STOP STOP” rang out and confusion reigned as umpire Nico Helwerth sought advice from tournament organisers via telephone.

    Television replays showed that Kartal’s shot was clearly out, yet Helwerth ruled that because the Hawk-Eye technology had not tracked the ball, the point must be replayed.

    Pavlyuchenkova went on to have her serve broken and was clearly fuming at the changeover, telling the umpire: “Because she is local, they can say whatever. You took the game away from me. They stole the game from me. You stole the game from me”.

    The 34-year-old quickly regrouped and showed the resilience that has marked her long career by reaching the quarter-finals with a 7-6(3) 6-4 win.

    But the main talking point was the first big glitch of Wimbledon‘s automated line-calling system that has replaced human line judges this year.

    OPERATOR ERROR

    Tournament officials later said the problem had been caused by operator error and that the umpire had followed the correct protocols, although Pavlyuchenkova felt that he should have intervened to correct an obvious mistake.

    “We were waiting for a decision as the system was down, but I was expecting to hear if they said the ball was in or out,” Pavlyuchenkova told reporters.

    “Instead they just said, replay the point. It was tricky especially as it was a very crucial moment in the match.

    “I expected a different decision. I just thought also the chair umpire could take the initiative. That’s why he’s there sitting on the chair. He also saw it (was) out, he told me after the match. I thought he would do that, but he didn’t.

    “I think it’s also difficult for him. He probably was scared to take such a big decision.”

    Asked how she would have felt if the point had cost her the match, Pavlyuchenkova raised a smile: “I would just say that I hate Wimbledon and never come back here.”

    KARTAL UNSIGHTED

    Kartal said she had been unsighted as to whether her shot was out and was equally confused at the time.

    “That situation is a rarity. I don’t think it’s really ever happened,” she said. “It’s tough luck. What can you do? The umpire is trying his best. I think he handled it fine.”

    Pavlyuchenkova, who felt a back-up system should be in place, is not the first person this week to question the automated line-calling system.

    Britain’s Emma Raducanu claimed there were wrong calls during her loss to Aryna Sabalenka.

    “No, I don’t (trust the system) — I think the other players would say the same thing, there were some pretty dodgy ones but what can you do?,” she said after her defeat.

    Britain’s Jack Draper also believed it was not 100% accurate while Swiss player Belinda Bencic said this week that it was a hot topic in the locker rooms.

    Pavlyuchenkova said it was something that needed to be addressed.

    “I think since we have already automatic line-calling and so much invested into this, we should probably look into something else to have better decisions on it,” she said.

    -Reuters

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressmen Krishnamoorthi and Jackson Demand Access to South Loop ICE Facility to Perform Oversight After Being Turned Away

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (8th District of Illinois)

    CHICAGO, IL – Just days after their attempt to conduct oversight at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in the South Loop of Chicago was denied, Congressmen Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) and Jonathan Jackson (D-IL) have sent a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem demanding immediate access to the facility and full transparency around recent detentions and conditions inside.

     

    “We were denied the ability to perform congressional oversight – as is our duty as members of the United States House of Representatives,” the lawmakers wrote. “During the visit to this facility, the ICE officer who refused to identify himself called the Chicago Police Department to evict us for ‘trespassing.’”

    The visit by Congressmen Krishnamoorthi and Jackson came after disturbing reports that on June 4, ICE officials detained at least 10 individuals after sending them text messages instructing them to appear at the facility for a “routine appointment.” 

    “It is unclear exactly how many people were taken, where they were taken to, and if they were given access to counsel,” the lawmakers wrote of the incident. “We were denied those answers.”

    The congressmen emphasized the urgency of their request amid a broader immigration crackdown. Last week, President Donald Trump announced he was instructing ICE to target Democratic cities, including Chicago, as part of the “single largest mass deportation program in history.”

    “The President’s politically motivated actions are deeply troubling, particularly for communities like ours in Illinois that have already seen intensified enforcement activity in recent weeks,” Congressmen Krishnamoorthi and Jackson wrote.

    The letter concludes with an urgent call to action by Congressmen Krishnamoorthi and Jackson: “Given the serious and potentially illegal nature of the activity in these reports, we request that the Department of Homeland Security allow Members of Congress to access the South Loop facility for the purpose of investigating their activity further. Please issue a response by Friday, June 27.”

    The full letter is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Krishnamoorthi Leads Effort with Moulton, Lawler, Fitzpatrick in Urging HHS to Preserve LGBTQ+ Youth Crisis Services

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (8th District of Illinois)

    WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) joined Congressmen Mike Lawler (R-NY), Seth Moulton (D-MA), and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) in calling on Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to reverse the decision to discontinue specialized services for LGBTQ+ youth within the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. In the bipartisan letter, the congressmen expressed alarm and concern over the plan to terminate the service within the next 30 days, pointing to its proven impact in the form of an average of roughly 2,100 contacts each day as of February 2025. Following the adoption of 24/7 availability in March 2023, there have been over 1.3 million calls, texts, and chats, providing LGBTQ+ youth in need with a safe, reliable, and secure outlet during a moment of crisis.

    “To a young person feeling alone and scared, 988 is truly a lifeline,” the congressmen wrote in their letter. “Discontinuing this service would be a dangerous step backward and would send a devastating message to LGBTQ+ young people across the country that their needs are not seen, their lives are not valued, and that support will not be there in their darkest hour. We cannot allow that to happen.”

    “Cutting this crisis line is not just a policy decision; it’s a moral failure,” Congressman Krishnamoorthi said. “We have a duty to protect every young person in crisis, and ending this service would abandon LGBTQ+ youth at the exact moment they need us most.”

    The bipartisan group concluded their letter by urging HHS to maintain the staffing, infrastructure, and funding necessary to continue this lifesaving service.

    The full letter is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Watch: Congressman Krishnamoorthi Confronts Republican Witnesses on Trump Administration’s Elimination of LGBTQ+ Crisis Hotline

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (8th District of Illinois)

    WASHINGTON – Today, during a House Oversight Subcommittee on Health Care and Financial Services hearing, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) sharply criticized the Trump administration’s decision to eliminate the dedicated LGBTQ+ youth crisis hotline within the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. In a powerful line of questioning, Congressman Krishnamoorthi warned that removing this lifesaving service, under the banner of eliminating diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, was not just misguided; it was cruel. 

    Early today, Congressman Krishnamoorthi also led a bipartisan letter calling on Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to reverse the decision to discontinue specialized services for LGBTQ+ youth within the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.

    “In the name of expunging DEI, the Trump administration is not only rewriting history, it is actively putting lives at risk,” Congressman Krishnamoorthi said. “There is no more tragic example than the decision to end the LGBTQ+ crisis hotline, which has fielded over 1.3 million calls, texts, and chats since becoming fully operational.”

    Citing data from the Trump-era Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Congressman noted that LGBTQ+ youth face suicide risks at rates four times higher than their peers.

    When questioned, Republican witnesses claimed to be unaware of both the CDC’s findings and bipartisan support for the hotline.

    Congressman Krishnamoorthi also referenced a 2018 statement from Republican Senator Orrin Hatch highlighting the vulnerability of LGBTQ+ youth, as well as a May 2025 bipartisan letter from Republican Representatives Mike Lawler and Young Kim urging the Trump administration to preserve the LGBTQ+ lifeline.

    “You don’t dispute that my Republican colleagues said this, do you?” he asked one witness.

    “I’m not aware of anything to do with the suicide hotline,” the witness replied.

    “And that’s the problem,” the congressman responded. “A lack of awareness. The fact that we are expunging an LGBTQ+ youth suicide hotline in the name of expunging DEI is precisely why this crusade is so dangerous.”

    While also addressing Medicaid and SNAP cuts elsewhere in the hearing, Congressman Krishnamoorthi emphasized that eliminating support programs for vulnerable populations, especially under the false pretense of advancing “equality for everybody,” only makes life harder for working families and marginalized communities.

    Congressman Krishnamoorthi’s question line is available in full here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, Colleagues Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Expand Access to Mental Health Services for Children in Schools

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (8th District of Illinois)

    WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) introduced the Connecting Students with Mental Health Services Act, bipartisan legislation with the goal of aiding schools in connecting students with the mental health services needed to succeed and thrive. Students and young people continue to face unprecedented mental health challenges inside and outside of school, with pressure and stress impacting Americans across the country. Congressman Krishnamoorthi’s legislation seeks to ensure all students, particularly those in underserved communities and under-resourced school districts, have access to appropriate and timely care. Joining Congressman Krishnamoorthi in introducing this bipartisan bill are Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Congressman Greg Landsman (D-OH), Congressman Mike Lawler (R-NY), and Congresswoman Janelle Bynum (D-OR).

    “Our school systems are lifelines of support when young people need mental health care and don’t know where to turn,” Congressman Krishnamoorthi said. “Currently, most American school districts are unequipped to support our children, but our Connecting Students with Mental Health Services Act will fill in the gaps and connect young people with the mental health services they need. By investing in the mental health of America’s future generations, we are setting all students up for success, regardless of their background or where they live.”

    “The youth mental health crisis is one of the defining challenges of our time, and schools cannot tackle it without real support,” Congressman Fitzpatrick said. “The Connecting Students to Mental Health Services Act delivers targeted, high-impact resources—especially for underserved communities—to ensure students get the care they need. As Co-Chair of the Bipartisan Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Task Force, my priority is to advance solutions like this that strengthen our system and ensure every student has a clear path to support, stability, and success.”

    “Getting students better access to mental health resources is so important,” Congressman Landsman said. “As a former teacher and the son of teachers, I’ve seen firsthand what’s happening in our classrooms – and know how much more we can do. Expanding access to care in our schools, especially through telehealth, will give our students what they need to be stronger and healthier. And when it’s easier to connect with professionals to work through what they’re facing, they’re in a much better position to succeed in school and life.”

    “Students across the country are facing a growing mental health crisis, and we have a responsibility to ensure they’re not navigating it alone. The Connecting Students with Mental Health Services Act will help break down barriers to care, especially for students in rural and underserved communities, by expanding access to telehealth in our schools. I’m proud to join Rep. Krishnamoorthi and our colleagues in delivering resources for our students and schools,” Congressman Lawler said.

    “As a mom of four, I know how essential providing mental health services to students is to their success. We need to make sure we are investing in America’s youth, and that starts with making sure they can succeed in the classroom,” Congresswoman Bynum said. “That’s why I’m so proud to introduce the Connecting Students with Mental Health Services Act which takes important steps towards providing this vital care to our students in rural and high-poverty areas, ensuring they have the resources they need to thrive now and for generations to come.”

    The legislation would support partnerships between public schools and community-based mental health providers by:

    • Establishing a grant program through the Department of Education to fund school-based mental health coordination initiatives;
    • Supporting the hiring and training of school mental health professionals and liaisons;
    • Helping schools create referral pathways to community providers and expand access to tele-mental health options.

    The legislation has been endorsed by leading mental health and education organizations, including the School Superintendents Association (AASA), National Association of Secondary School Principals, National Association of Elementary School Principals, and National Association of Social Workers.

    The full text of the bill is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Krishnamoorthi Demands Trump Administration Follow the Law, End Reported Plan to Withhold Intelligence from Congress Following Iran Strikes

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (8th District of Illinois)

    WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), a senior member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, sent a letter to President Trump urging him to reverse reported plans to restrict the flow of classified information to Congress following the June 21, 2025, U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. The letter follows reports that the Administration intends to withhold intelligence after a leak related to Operation Midnight Hammer, which targeted sites in Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan. In the days since the strikes, conflicting accounts have emerged about their effectiveness—raising serious questions about how much Iran’s nuclear program was disrupted and whether President Trump and his Administration misled the public about the operation’s impact.

    “As a Member of the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, I strongly believe that leaks of classified information must be investigated to hold those responsible accountable,” Congressman Krishnamoorthi wrote. “Congressional intelligence committees also have an obligation to conduct congressional oversight regarding any and all intelligence and intelligence-related activities, and U.S. law clearly states that ‘The President shall ensure that the congressional intelligence committees are kept fully and currently informed of the intelligence activities of the United States, including any significant anticipated intelligence activity.’”

    Congressman Krishnamoorthi warned that limiting the flow of classified information to Congress would violate that legal requirement. “Your Administration’s plans to limit sharing sensitive information with Congress, as recent reports detail, would not comply with the law to keep the congressional intelligence committees ‘fully and currently informed,’” he continued.

    The letter also highlights conflicting accounts about the effectiveness of the strikes. “These conflicting reports are deeply alarming and require further evaluation from the intelligence community,” it states.

    “While mindful that intelligence gathering and operation analysis is still ongoing, it is critical that Congress has full and immediate access to all information necessary to conduct oversight,” Krishnamoorthi wrote. “I expect that your Administration will adhere to its legal obligations and ensure that Congress, particularly the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, is provided with timely, comprehensive, and unfiltered access to intelligence assessments and operational analyses.”

    The full letter is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Qatar expresses its full solidarity with the United States in the face of the devastating floods that have swept through Texas

    Source: Government of Qatar

    Doha / July 6, 2025

    The State of Qatar expresses its full solidarity with the friendly United States in the face of the devastating floods that swept through the state of Texas, which resulted in loss of life, injuries, and several missing persons.

    The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expresses the State of Qatar’s sincere condolences to the families of the victims, as well as to the government and people of the United States of America. It also conveys Qatar’s wishes for a speedy recovery for the injured and the safe return of those missing.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cornyn, Cruz Praise Pres. Trump’s Swift Approval of Major Disaster Declaration for Kerr County

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn
    Approval Comes After Cornyn-Led Letter to POTUS Urging More Federal Resources
    U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Ted Cruz (R-TX) today thanked President Donald Trump for his formal approval of Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s request for a federal emergency disaster declaration due to devastating flooding in Kerrville and surrounding areas:
    “The Kerrville community has endured unimaginable devastation, and I thank President Trump for swiftly approving this disaster declaration to ensure every available resource is being utilized in rescue and recovery efforts,” said Sen. Cornyn. “Being a Texan doesn’t just describe where you’re from, it describes who your family is, and even in the darkest times, Texans come together to serve one another in a powerful way. As a lifelong Texan and a father of two, my heart breaks for the families who have lost loved ones in this tragedy, and I encourage all Texans and Americans to pray for our state and for the safe return of those who are still missing.”
    “The flooding we are seeing in Central Texas is absolutely devastating,” said Sen. Cruz. “Heidi and I send our heartfelt condolences to all those who have been directly impacted by this natural disaster. We thank President Trump for quickly approving Governor Abbott’s disaster declaration, and Secretary Noem for being on the ground and sending additional personnel to support Texans. We urge everyone to heed the warnings from local officials and stay out of harm’s way. We are immensely grateful to the first responders—both in Texas and from across the country—who are risking their own safety to rescue those in need. As Texans, we must remain united in spirit and grit, and support our neighbors as we always do best.”
    Sens. Cornyn and Cruz sent a letter earlier today to Pres. Trump urging the administration to continue surging all available federal resources to Kerr County to assist with ongoing rescue and recovery efforts. Read the full letter here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: We don’t need deep-sea mining, or its environmental harms. Here’s why

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Justin Alger, Associate Professor / Senior Lecturer in Global Environmental Politics, The University of Melbourne

    Potato-sized polymetallic nodules from the deep sea could be mined for valuable metals and minerals. Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

    Deep-sea mining promises critical minerals for the energy transition without the problems of mining on land. It also promises to bring wealth to developing nations. But the evidence suggests these promises are false, and mining would harm the environment.

    The practice involves scooping up rock-like nodules from vast areas of the sea floor. These potato-sized lumps contain metals and minerals such as zinc, manganese, molybdenum, nickel and rare earth elements.

    Technology to mine the deep sea exists, but commercial mining of the deep sea is not happening anywhere in the world. That could soon change. Nations are meeting this month in Kingston, Jamaica, to agree to a mining code. Such a code would make way for mining to begin within the next few years.

    On Thursday, Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, released research into the environmental impacts of deep-sea mining. It aims to promote better environmental management of deep-sea mining, should it proceed.

    We have previously challenged the rationale for deep-sea mining, drawing on our expertise in international politics and environmental management. We argue mining the deep sea is harmful and the economic benefits have been overstated. What’s more, the metals and minerals to be mined are not scarce.

    The best course of action is a ban on international seabed mining, building on the coalition for a moratorium.

    The Metals Company spent six months at sea collecting nodules in 2022, while studying the effects on ecosystems.

    Managing and monitoring environmental harm

    Recent advances in technology have made deep-sea mining more feasible. But removing the nodules – which also requires pumping water around – has been shown to damage the seabed and endanger marine life.

    CSIRO has developed the first environmental management and monitoring frameworks to protect deep sea ecosystems from mining. It aims to provide “trusted, science-based tools to evaluate the environmental risks and viability of deep-sea mining”.

    Scientists from Griffith University, Museums Victoria, the University of the Sunshine Coast, and Earth Sciences New Zealand were also involved in the work.

    The Metals Company Australia, a local subsidiary of the Canadian deep-sea mining exploration company, commissioned the research. It involved analysing data from test mining the company carried out in the Pacific Ocean in 2022.

    The company has led efforts to expedite deep-sea mining. This includes pushing for the mining code, and exploring commercial mining of the international seabed through approval from the US government.

    In a media briefing this week, CSIRO Senior Principal Research Scientist Piers Dunstan said the mining activity substantially affected the sea floor. Some marine life, especially that attached to the nodules, had very little hope of recovery. He said if mining were to go ahead, monitoring would be crucial.

    We are sceptical that ecological impacts can be managed even with this new framework. Little is known about life in these deep-water ecosystems. But research shows nodule mining would cause extensive habitat loss and damage.

    Do we really need to open the ocean frontier to mining? We argue the answer is no, on three counts.

    How does deep-sea mining work? (The Guardian)

    1. Minerals are not scarce

    The minerals required for the energy transition are abundant on land. Known global terrestrial reserves of cobalt, copper, manganese, molybdenum and nickel are enough to meet current production levels for decades – even with growing demand.

    There is no compelling reason to extract deep-sea minerals, given the economics of both deep-sea and land-based mining. Deep-sea mining is speculative and inevitably too expensive given such remote, deep operations.

    Claims about mineral scarcity are being used to justify attempting to legitimise a new extractive frontier in the deep sea. Opportunistic investors can make money through speculation and attracting government subsidies.

    2. Mining at sea will not replace mining on land

    Proponents claim deep-sea mining can replace some mining on land. Mining on land has led to social issues including infringing on indigenous and community rights. It also damages the environment.

    But deep-sea mining will not necessarily displace, replace or change mining on land. Land-based mining contracts span decades and the companies involved will not abandon ongoing or planned projects. Their activities will continue, even if deep-sea mining begins.

    Deep-sea mining also faces many of the same challenges as mining on land, while introducing new problems. The social problems that arise during transport, processing and distribution remain the same.

    And sea-based industries are already rife with modern slavery and labour violations, partly because they are notoriously difficult to monitor.

    Deep-sea mining does not solve social problems with land-based mining, and adds more challenges.

    Hidden Gem was the world’s first deep-sea mineral production vessel with seabed-to-surface nodule collection and transport systems.
    Photo by Charles M. Vella/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

    3. Common heritage of humankind and the Global South

    Under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, the international seabed is the common heritage of humankind. This means the proceeds of deep-sea mining should be distributed fairly among all countries.

    Deep-sea mining commercial partnerships between developing countries in the Global South and firms from the North have yet to pay off for the former. There is little indication this pattern will change.

    For example, when Canadian company Nautilus went bankrupt in 2019, it saddled Papua New Guinea with millions in debt from a failed domestic deep-sea mining venture.

    The Metals Company has partnerships with Nauru and Tonga but the latest deal with the US creates uncertainty about whether their agreements will be honoured.

    European investors took control of Blue Minerals Jamaica, originally a Jamaican-owned company, shortly after orchestrating its start up. Any profits would therefore go offshore.

    Australian Gerard Barron is Chairman and CEO of The Metals Company, formerly DeepGreen.
    Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

    A wise investment?

    It is unclear whether deep-sea mining will ever be a good investment.

    Multiple large corporate investors have pulled out of the industry, or gone bankrupt. And The Metals Company has received delisting notices from the Nasdaq stock exchange due to poor financial performance.

    Given the threat of environmental harm, the evidence suggests deep-sea mining is not worth the risk.

    Justin Alger receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

    D.G. Webster receives funding from the National Science Foundation in the United States and various internal funding sources at Dartmouth University.

    Jessica Green receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

    Kate J Neville receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

    Stacy D VanDeveer and Susan M Park do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. We don’t need deep-sea mining, or its environmental harms. Here’s why – https://theconversation.com/we-dont-need-deep-sea-mining-or-its-environmental-harms-heres-why-260401

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: We don’t need deep-sea mining, or its environmental harms. Here’s why

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Justin Alger, Associate Professor / Senior Lecturer in Global Environmental Politics, The University of Melbourne

    Potato-sized polymetallic nodules from the deep sea could be mined for valuable metals and minerals. Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

    Deep-sea mining promises critical minerals for the energy transition without the problems of mining on land. It also promises to bring wealth to developing nations. But the evidence suggests these promises are false, and mining would harm the environment.

    The practice involves scooping up rock-like nodules from vast areas of the sea floor. These potato-sized lumps contain metals and minerals such as zinc, manganese, molybdenum, nickel and rare earth elements.

    Technology to mine the deep sea exists, but commercial mining of the deep sea is not happening anywhere in the world. That could soon change. Nations are meeting this month in Kingston, Jamaica, to agree to a mining code. Such a code would make way for mining to begin within the next few years.

    On Thursday, Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, released research into the environmental impacts of deep-sea mining. It aims to promote better environmental management of deep-sea mining, should it proceed.

    We have previously challenged the rationale for deep-sea mining, drawing on our expertise in international politics and environmental management. We argue mining the deep sea is harmful and the economic benefits have been overstated. What’s more, the metals and minerals to be mined are not scarce.

    The best course of action is a ban on international seabed mining, building on the coalition for a moratorium.

    The Metals Company spent six months at sea collecting nodules in 2022, while studying the effects on ecosystems.

    Managing and monitoring environmental harm

    Recent advances in technology have made deep-sea mining more feasible. But removing the nodules – which also requires pumping water around – has been shown to damage the seabed and endanger marine life.

    CSIRO has developed the first environmental management and monitoring frameworks to protect deep sea ecosystems from mining. It aims to provide “trusted, science-based tools to evaluate the environmental risks and viability of deep-sea mining”.

    Scientists from Griffith University, Museums Victoria, the University of the Sunshine Coast, and Earth Sciences New Zealand were also involved in the work.

    The Metals Company Australia, a local subsidiary of the Canadian deep-sea mining exploration company, commissioned the research. It involved analysing data from test mining the company carried out in the Pacific Ocean in 2022.

    The company has led efforts to expedite deep-sea mining. This includes pushing for the mining code, and exploring commercial mining of the international seabed through approval from the US government.

    In a media briefing this week, CSIRO Senior Principal Research Scientist Piers Dunstan said the mining activity substantially affected the sea floor. Some marine life, especially that attached to the nodules, had very little hope of recovery. He said if mining were to go ahead, monitoring would be crucial.

    We are sceptical that ecological impacts can be managed even with this new framework. Little is known about life in these deep-water ecosystems. But research shows nodule mining would cause extensive habitat loss and damage.

    Do we really need to open the ocean frontier to mining? We argue the answer is no, on three counts.

    How does deep-sea mining work? (The Guardian)

    1. Minerals are not scarce

    The minerals required for the energy transition are abundant on land. Known global terrestrial reserves of cobalt, copper, manganese, molybdenum and nickel are enough to meet current production levels for decades – even with growing demand.

    There is no compelling reason to extract deep-sea minerals, given the economics of both deep-sea and land-based mining. Deep-sea mining is speculative and inevitably too expensive given such remote, deep operations.

    Claims about mineral scarcity are being used to justify attempting to legitimise a new extractive frontier in the deep sea. Opportunistic investors can make money through speculation and attracting government subsidies.

    2. Mining at sea will not replace mining on land

    Proponents claim deep-sea mining can replace some mining on land. Mining on land has led to social issues including infringing on indigenous and community rights. It also damages the environment.

    But deep-sea mining will not necessarily displace, replace or change mining on land. Land-based mining contracts span decades and the companies involved will not abandon ongoing or planned projects. Their activities will continue, even if deep-sea mining begins.

    Deep-sea mining also faces many of the same challenges as mining on land, while introducing new problems. The social problems that arise during transport, processing and distribution remain the same.

    And sea-based industries are already rife with modern slavery and labour violations, partly because they are notoriously difficult to monitor.

    Deep-sea mining does not solve social problems with land-based mining, and adds more challenges.

    Hidden Gem was the world’s first deep-sea mineral production vessel with seabed-to-surface nodule collection and transport systems.
    Photo by Charles M. Vella/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

    3. Common heritage of humankind and the Global South

    Under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, the international seabed is the common heritage of humankind. This means the proceeds of deep-sea mining should be distributed fairly among all countries.

    Deep-sea mining commercial partnerships between developing countries in the Global South and firms from the North have yet to pay off for the former. There is little indication this pattern will change.

    For example, when Canadian company Nautilus went bankrupt in 2019, it saddled Papua New Guinea with millions in debt from a failed domestic deep-sea mining venture.

    The Metals Company has partnerships with Nauru and Tonga but the latest deal with the US creates uncertainty about whether their agreements will be honoured.

    European investors took control of Blue Minerals Jamaica, originally a Jamaican-owned company, shortly after orchestrating its start up. Any profits would therefore go offshore.

    Australian Gerard Barron is Chairman and CEO of The Metals Company, formerly DeepGreen.
    Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

    A wise investment?

    It is unclear whether deep-sea mining will ever be a good investment.

    Multiple large corporate investors have pulled out of the industry, or gone bankrupt. And The Metals Company has received delisting notices from the Nasdaq stock exchange due to poor financial performance.

    Given the threat of environmental harm, the evidence suggests deep-sea mining is not worth the risk.

    Justin Alger receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

    D.G. Webster receives funding from the National Science Foundation in the United States and various internal funding sources at Dartmouth University.

    Jessica Green receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

    Kate J Neville receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

    Stacy D VanDeveer and Susan M Park do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. We don’t need deep-sea mining, or its environmental harms. Here’s why – https://theconversation.com/we-dont-need-deep-sea-mining-or-its-environmental-harms-heres-why-260401

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Ageing bridges around the world are at risk of collapse. But there’s a simple way to safeguard them

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andy Nguyen, Senior Lecturer in Structural Engineering, University of Southern Queensland

    The Story Bridge, with its sweeping steel trusses and art deco towers, is a striking sight above the Brisbane River in Queensland. In 2025, it was named the state’s best landmark. But more than an icon, it serves as one of the vital arteries of the state capital, carrying more than 100,000 vehicles daily.

    But a recent report revealed serious structural issues in the 85-year-old bridge. These included the deterioration of concrete, corrosion and overloading on pedestrian footpaths.

    The findings prompted an urgent closure of the footpath for safety reasons. They also highlighted the urgency of Brisbane City Council’s planned bridge restoration project.

    But this example – and far more tragic ones from around the world in recent years – have also sparked a broader conversation about the safety of ageing bridges and other urban infrastructure. A simple, proactive step known as structural health monitoring can help.

    A number of collapses

    In January 2022, the Fern Hollow Bridge in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in the United States collapsed and injured several people. This collapse was caused by extensive corrosion and the fracturing of a vital steel component. It stemmed from poor maintenance and failure to act on repeated inspection recommendations. These problems were compounded by inadequate inspections and oversight.

    Three years earlier, Taiwan’s Nanfang’ao Bridge collapsed. Exposure to damp, salty sea air had severely weakened its suspension cables. Six people beneath the bridge died.

    In August 2018, Italy’s Morandi Bridge fell, killing 43 people. The collapse was due to corrosion in pre-stressed concrete and steel tendons. These factors were worsened by inspection and maintenance challenges.

    In August 2007, a bridge in the US city of Minneapolis collapsed, killing 13 people and injuring 145. This collapse was primarily due to previously unnoticed problems with the design of the bridge. But it also demonstrated how ageing infrastructure, coupled with increasing loads and ineffective routine visual inspections, can exacerbate inherent weaknesses.

    A technology-driven solution

    Structural health monitoring is a technology-driven approach to assessing the condition of infrastructure. It can provide near real-time information and enable timely decision-making. This is crucial when it comes to managing ageing structures.

    The approach doesn’t rely solely on occasional periodic inspections. Instead it uses sensors, data loggers and analytics platforms to continuously monitor stress, vibration, displacement, temperature and corrosion on critical components.

    This approach can significantly improve our understanding of bridge performance compared to traditional assessment models. In one case, it updated a bridge’s estimated fatigue life – the remaining life of the structure before fatigue-induced failure is predicted to occur– from just five years to more than 52 years. This ultimately avoided unnecessary and costly restoration.

    Good structural health-monitoring systems can last several decades. They can be integrated with artificial intelligence techniques and bridge information modelling to develop digital twin-based monitoring platforms.

    The cost of structural health monitoring systems varies by bridge size and the extent of monitoring required. Some simple systems can cost just a few thousand dollars, while more advanced ones can cost more than A$300,000.

    These systems require ongoing operational support – typically 10% to 20% of the installation cost annually – for data management, system maintenance, and informed decision-making.

    Additionally, while advanced systems can be costly, scalable structural health monitoring solutions allow authorities to start small and expand over time.

    A model for proactive management

    The design of structural health monitoring systems has been incorporated into new large-scale bridge designs, such as Sutong Bridge in China and Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge in the US.

    But perhaps the most compelling example of these systems in action is the Jacques Cartier Bridge in Montreal, Canada.

    Opened in 1930, it shares design similarities with Brisbane’s Story Bridge. And, like many ageing structures, it faces its own challenges.

    Opened in 1930, the Jacques Cartier Bridge in Montreal, Canada, shares design similarities with Brisbane’s Story Bridge.
    Pinkcandy/Shutterstock

    However, authorities managing the Jacques Cartier Bridge have embraced a proactive approach through comprehensive structural health monitoring systems. The bridge has been outfitted with more than 300 sensors.

    Acoustic emission monitoring enables early detection of micro-cracking activity, while long-term instrumentation tracks structural deformation and dynamic behaviour across key spans.

    Satellite-based radar imagery adds a remote, non-intrusive layer of deformation monitoring, and advanced data analysis ensures that the vast amounts of sensor data are translated into timely, actionable insights.

    Together, these technologies demonstrate how a well-integrated structural-health monitoring system can support proactive maintenance, extend the life of ageing infrastructure – and ultimately improve public safety.

    A way forward for Brisbane – and beyond

    The Story Bridge’s current challenges are serious, but they also present an opportunity.

    By investing in the right structural health monitoring system, Brisbane can lead the way in modern infrastructure management – protecting lives, restoring public confidence, preserving heritage and setting a precedent for cities around the world.

    As climate change, urban growth, and ageing assets put increasing pressure on our transport networks, smart monitoring is no longer a luxury – it’s a necessity.

    Andy Nguyen receives funding from the Queensland government, through the Advance Queensland fellowship. He is on the executive committee of Australian Network of Structural Health Monitoring.

    – ref. Ageing bridges around the world are at risk of collapse. But there’s a simple way to safeguard them – https://theconversation.com/ageing-bridges-around-the-world-are-at-risk-of-collapse-but-theres-a-simple-way-to-safeguard-them-260005

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: New Development Bank’s Board of Governors Convened its 10th Annual Meeting in Rio de Janeiro

    Source: New Development Bank

    On July 5, 2025, the Board of Governors (Board, BoG) of the New Development Bank (NDB) convened the Business Session of its Tenth Annual Meeting in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, under the theme of “Driving Development: Fostering Innovation, Cooperation, and Impact through a Multilateral Development Bank for the Global South”.

    The BoG Meeting was chaired by H.E. Mr. Fernando Haddad, the Minister of Finance of the Federative Republic of Brazil and the NDB Governor for Brazil.

    The Board welcomed the achievements of NDB in the past year and provided guidance in steering the New Development Bank towards a path of sustainable growth in the future at the juncture of its Ten-year Anniversary.

    The Board of Governors officially admitted Colombia and Uzbekistan as borrowing members of the New Development Bank.

    The Board of Governors discussed the General Strategy of the Bank and its implementation and provided guidance thereon.

    The Board of Governors adopted its resolution on appointment of incoming Vice-President of the New Development Bank. Mr. Roman Serov was appointed as Vice-President of NDB from September 7, 2025, to September 6, 2030.

    The Board elected H.E. Mr. Anton Siluanov, the Minister of Finance of the Russian Federation and the NDB Governor for Russia as the next Chairperson of the Board of Governors. H.E. Mrs. Nirmala Sitharaman, the Minister of Finance of the Republic of India and the NDB Governor for India was elected as the next Vice-Chairperson of the Board of Governors. It was agreed that they would hold their respective offices until the end of the Eleventh Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors in 2026.

    The Board of Governors decided that Russia will host the Eleventh Annual Meeting of the New Development Bank in 2026.

    H.E. Mr. Anton Siluanov, the Minister of Finance of the Russian Federation and the NDB Governor for Russia; H.E. Mrs. Nirmala Sitharaman, the Minister of Finance of the Republic of India and the NDB Governor for India; H.E. Mr. LAN Fo’an, the Minister of Finance of the People’s Republic of China and the NDB Governor for China; Dr. David Masondo, Deputy Minister of Finance of the Republic of South Africa and the NDB Alternate Governor for South Africa; Mr. Md. Shahriar Kader Siddiky, Secretary, Economic Relations Division, Ministry of Finance of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh and the NDB Alternate Governor for Bangladesh; Mr. Mr. Mohamed Bin Hadi Al Hussaini, Minister of State for Financial Affairs and the NDB Governor for the United Arab Emirates; Mr. Atter Hannoura, Director of the PPP Central Unit, Ministry of Finance of Egypt of the Arab Republic of Egypt and the NDB Temporary Alternate Governor for Egypt, participated in the Meeting.

    Background Information

    New Development Bank was established by Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa to mobilize resources for infrastructure and sustainable development projects in BRICS and other emerging market economies and developing countries, complementing the existing efforts of multilateral and regional financial institutions for global growth and development.

    For more information on NDB, please visit www.ndb.int.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: President notes Provincial Commissioner’s statements

    Source: Government of South Africa

    Sunday, July 6, 2025

    The Presidency says President Cyril Ramaphosa has noted statements made earlier today in a media briefing by South African Police Service (SAPS) KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi.

    The Provincial Commissioner held a media briefing earlier on Sunday at the KwaZulu-Natal SAPS headquarters where he made various allegations.

    “This is a matter of grave national security concern that is receiving the highest priority attention. It is vital that the integrity of the country’s security services is safeguarded and that the rule of law is affirmed,” said the President in a statement on Sunday night.

    He said all parties to this matter were called upon to exercise discipline and restraint. 

    “The trading of accusations and counter-accusations threatens to undermine public confidence and sow confusion. Furthermore, these actions damage the unity and focus of the police,” President Ramaphosa said.

    The Presidency said President Ramaphosa would outline the actions to be taken on this matter on his return from the BRICS Leaders’ Summit currently underway in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. – SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • Good catching up with my friend: PM Modi meets South African President Ramaphosa

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi met South African President Cyril Ramaphosa in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday on the sidelines of the BRICS summit, shortly before Ramaphosa backed his call for reform of the United Nations Security Council.

    “Good catching up with my friend, President Ramaphosa of South Africa,” PM Modi said in a post on X.

    Speaking at the summit, Ramaphosa backed the demand for reform, saying the Council “has become too rigid, too narrow and too disconnected from today’s multipolar realities”, and is unable to fulfil its primary function of maintaining international peace and security.

    Ramaphosa said the Council cannot react effectively to global dangers “ranging from humanitarian crises to open acts of aggression”. “Reform is a necessity. The Security Council must be made more democratic, more regionally representative and more accountable,” he said.

    Sunday’s ‘catch-up’ was the second meeting between PM Modi and Ramaphosa in 19 days, having last met in Canada during the G7 Summit.

    India and South Africa have several joint projects covering skills development, trade, economic cooperation and technology. They plan to deepen their strategic partnership, focusing on sectors such as agro-processing, defence, mining and finance. Bilateral trade between the two countries currently stands at nearly $20 billion.

    PM Modi last visited South Africa in 2023 for the BRICS summit and held bilateral talks with leaders there.

    Notably, Ramaphosa was the chief guest at India’s Republic Day celebrations in 2019 and last visited India in 2023 to attend the G20 summit.

    As one of Africa’s leading voices, South Africa joins India in representing the Global South in international forums.

    IANS

  • MIL-OSI USA News: President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Is Now the Law

    Source: US Whitehouse

    Today, President Donald J. Trump officially signed The One Big Beautiful Bill into law — a once-in-a-generation piece of legislation that makes good on his campaign promises and puts America First.

    Here’s what this means for everyday Americans:

    • The largest tax cut in history for middle- and working-class Americans
    • Bigger paychecks of $10,000+ more in annual take-home pay for families.
    • NO tax on Tips.
    • NO tax on Overtime.
    • NO tax on Social Security.
    • A $12.5 billion modernization of our air traffic control system.
    • Permanently increasing the Child Tax Credit for more than 40 million families.
    • Permanently securing our borders by finishing the border wall and hiring thousands of new ICE officers and Border Patrol agents.
    • Driving down energy costs with a massive expansion of domestic oil and gas production capacity.
    • A tax deduction on Made in America auto loan interest.
    • Protection for two million family farms from punitive double taxation.
    • Creating Trump Accounts for every American newborn.
    • Restoring fiscal sanity by cutting $1.5 trillion in spending.
    • Strengthening Medicaid by eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse and blocking illegal immigrants from receiving Medicaid.
    • Funding the Golden Dome missile defense system to confront 21st century threats.
    • Modernizing our military to ensure it has the resources to be a ready, lethal fighting force after four years of Biden-era weakness.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Rural hospitals will be hit hard by Trump’s signature spending package

    Source: The Conversation – USA (3) – By Lauren S. Hughes, State Policy Director, Farley Health Policy Center; Associate Professor of Family Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus

    Health policy experts predict that cuts to Medicaid will push more rural hospitals to close. sneakpeekpic via iStock / Getty Images Plus

    The public health provisions in the massive spending package that President Donald Trump signed into law on July 4, 2025, will reduce Medicaid spending by more than US$1 trillion over a decade and result in an estimated 11.8 million people losing health insurance coverage.

    As researchers studying rural health and health policy, we anticipate that these reductions in Medicaid spending, along with changes to the Affordable Care Act, will disproportionately affect the 66 million people living in rural America – nearly 1 in 5 Americans.

    People who live in rural areas are more likely to have health insurance through Medicaid and are at greater risk of losing that coverage. We expect that the changes brought about by this new law will lead to a rise in unpaid care that hospitals will have to provide. As a result, small, local hospitals will have to make tough decisions that include changing or eliminating services, laying off staff and delaying the purchase of new equipment. Many rural hospitals will have to reduce their services or possibly close their doors altogether.

    Hits to rural health

    The budget legislation’s biggest effect on rural America comes from changes to the Medicaid program, which represent the largest federal rollback of health insurance coverage in the U.S. to date.

    First, the legislation changes how states can finance their share of the Medicaid program by restricting where funds states use to support their Medicaid programs can come from. This bill limits how states can tax and charge fees to hospitals, managed care organizations and other health care providers, and how they can use such taxes and fees in the future to pay higher rates to providers under Medicaid. These limitations will reduce payments to rural hospitals that depend upon Medicaid to keep their doors open.

    Rural hospitals play a crucial role in health care access.

    Second, by 2027, states must institute work requirements that demand most Medicaid enrollees work 80 hours per month or be in school at least half time. Arkansas’ brief experiment with work requirements in 2018 demonstrates that rather than boost employment, the policy increases bureaucracy, hindering access to health care benefits for eligible people. States will also now be required to verify Medicaid eligibility every six months versus annually. That change also increases the risk people will lose coverage due to extra red tape.

    The Congressional Budget Office estimates that work requirements instituted through this legislative package will result in nearly 5 million people losing Medicaid coverage. This will decrease the number of paying patients at rural hospitals and increase the unpaid care hospitals must provide, further damaging their ability to stay open.

    Additionally, the bill changes how people qualify for the premium tax credits within the Affordable Care Act Marketplace. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that this change, along with other changes to the ACA such as fewer and shorter enrollment periods and additional requirements for documenting income, will reduce the number of people insured through the ACA Marketplace by about 3 million by 2034. Premium tax credits were expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic, helping millions of Americans obtain coverage who previously struggled to do so. This bill lets these expanded tax credits expire, which with may result in an additional 4.2 million people becoming uninsured.

    An insufficient stop-gap

    Senators from both sides of the aisle have voiced concerns about the legislative package’s potential effects on the financial stability of rural hospitals and frontier hospitals, which are facilities located in remote areas with fewer than six people per square mile. As a result, the Senate voted to set aside $50 billion over the next five years for a newly created Rural Health Transformation Program.

    These funds are to be allocated in two ways. Half will be directly distributed equally to states that submit an application that includes a rural health transformation plan detailing how rural hospitals will improve the delivery and quality of health care. The remainder will be distributed to states in varying amounts through a process that is currently unknown.

    While additional funding to support rural health facilities is welcome, how it is distributed and how much is available will be critical. Estimates suggest that rural areas will see a reduction of $155 billion in federal spending over 10 years, with much of that concentrated in 12 states that expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act and have large proportions of rural residents.

    That means $50 billion is not enough to offset cuts to Medicaid and other programs that will reduce funds flowing to rural health facilities.

    Americans living in rural areas are more likely to be insured through Medicaid than their urban counterparts.
    Halfpoint Images/Moment via Getty Images

    Accelerating hospital closures

    Rural and frontier hospitals have long faced hardship because of their aging infrastructure, older and sicker patient populations, geographic isolation and greater financial and regulatory burdens. Since 2010, 153 rural hospitals have closed their doors permanently or ceased providing inpatient services. This trend is particularly acute in states that have chosen not to expand Medicaid via the Affordable Care Act, many of which have larger percentages of their residents living in rural areas.

    According to an analysis by University of North Carolina researchers, as of June 2025 338 hospitals are at risk of reducing vital services, such as skilled nursing facilities; converting to an alternative type of health care facility, such as a rural emergency hospital; or closing altogether.

    Maternity care is especially at risk.

    Currently more than half of rural hospitals no longer deliver babies. Rural facilities serve fewer patients than those in more densely populated areas. They also have high fixed costs, and because they serve a high percentage of Medicaid patients, they rely on payments from Medicaid, which tends to pay lower rates than commercial insurance. Because of these pressures, these units will continue to close, forcing women to travel farther to give birth, to deliver before going full term and to deliver outside of traditional hospital settings.

    And because hospitals in rural areas serve relatively small populations, they lack negotiating power to obtain fair and adequate payment from private health insurers and affordable equipment and supplies from medical companies. Recruiting and retaining needed physicians and other health care workers is expensive, and acquiring capital to renovate, expand or build new facilities is increasingly out of reach.

    Finally, given that rural residents are more likely to have Medicaid than their urban counterparts, the legislation’s cuts to Medicaid will disproportionately reduce the rate at which rural providers and health facilities are paid by Medicaid for services they offer. With many rural hospitals already teetering on closure, this will place already financially fragile hospitals on an accelerated path toward demise.

    Far-reaching effects

    Rural hospitals are not just sources of local health care. They are also vital economic engines.

    Hospital closures result in the loss of local access to health care, causing residents to choose between traveling longer distances to see a doctor or forgoing the services they need.

    But hospitals in these regions are also major employers that often pay some of the highest wages in their communities. Their closure can drive a decline in the local tax base, limiting funding available for services such as roads and public schools and making it more difficult to attract and retain businesses that small towns depend on. Declines in rural health care undermine local economies.

    Furthermore, the country as a whole relies on rural America for the production of food, fuel and other natural resources. In our view, further weakening rural hospitals may affect not just local economies but the health of the whole U.S. economy.

    Lauren S. Hughes has received funding for rural health projects from the Sunflower Foundation, The Colorado Health Foundation, the University of Colorado School of Medicine Rural Program Office, the Caring for Colorado Foundation, and the Zoma Foundation. She currently serves as chair of the Rural Health Redesign Center Organization Board of Directors and is a member of the Rural Primary Care Advisory Council with the Weitzman Institute.

    Kevin J. Bennett receives funding from the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, the Health Resources and Services Administration and the state of South Carolina. He is currently on the Board of Trustees of the National Rural Health Association as immediate past president.

    – ref. Rural hospitals will be hit hard by Trump’s signature spending package – https://theconversation.com/rural-hospitals-will-be-hit-hard-by-trumps-signature-spending-package-260164

    MIL OSI –

  • Condemning terrorism should be our “principle”, not just “convenience”: PM Modi at BRICS summit

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday called terrorism the “most serious challenge” facing humanity and said condemning it must be a matter of principle, not convenience.

    Speaking at the 17th BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro, PM Modi cited the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, in which 26 tourists were killed, as a reminder of the threat terrorism poses to global peace.

    “Recently India faced an inhuman and cowardly terrorist attack. On 22 April, the terrorist attack in Pahalgam was a direct attack on the soul, identity, and dignity of India. This attack was a blow not only to India but to the entire humanity. In this hour of grief, I express my heartfelt gratitude to the friendly countries who stood with us, who expressed support and condolences,” he said.

    “Terrorism has become the most serious challenge for humanity today. Condemning terrorism should be our ‘principle’, not just a ‘convenience’. If we first see in which country the attack took place and against whom, then it would be a betrayal against humanity,” the PM added.

    PM Modi stressed the need for decisive global action, including sanctions, and warned against double standards in tackling terror.

    “There should be no hesitation in imposing sanctions against terrorists. The victims and supporters of terrorism cannot be weighed on the same scale. For personal or political gain, giving silent consent to terrorism and supporting terror or terrorists should not be acceptable under any circumstances. There should be no difference between words and actions regarding terrorism. If we cannot do this, then the question naturally arises: are we serious about the fight against terrorism or not?” the Prime Minister said.

    PM Modi also underlined the threat of terrorism in the context of global conflicts and the humanitarian fallout in Gaza.

    “From West Asia to Europe, today the world is surrounded by disputes and tensions. The humanitarian situation in Gaza is a cause of great concern. India firmly believes that no matter how difficult the circumstances are, the path of peace is the only option for the welfare of humanity,” he said.

    “India is the land of Lord Buddha and Mahatma Gandhi. There is no place for war and violence for us. India supports every effort that takes the world away from division and conflict and leads it towards dialogue, cooperation, and coordination, and increases solidarity and trust,” the Prime Minister said, reiterating India’s belief in peace.

    Highlighting BRICS’s role in promoting global stability, the Prime Minister said, “Global peace and security is not just an ideal; it is the foundation of our common interests and future. The development of humanity is possible only in a peaceful and secure environment. BRICS has a very important role in fulfilling this objective. We have to unite and make collective efforts to face our common challenges. We have to move forward together.”

    PM Modi invited BRICS leaders to India for the next summit in 2026, under India’s chairmanship.

    The summit, hosted by Brazil from July 7 to 9, is being attended by leaders from Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa and new members Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, the UAE and Indonesia.

    ANI

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: First Person: Japanese UN volunteer ‘motivated by the passion of others’ to support peace

    Source: United Nations 2

    Haruki Ume spoke to UN News at the UN Pavilion at Expo 2025 currently being held in the Japanese city of Osaka.

    One section of the pavilion features a rotating presentation focusing on a specific UN agency or entity and recently, attention turned to the UN Volunteers programme.

    “As a 17-year-old, I travelled to the United States on an educational exchange programme and my main motivation was to play baseball and experience American culture.

    I met a lot of other people from Africa and Asia as well as Europe and I was shocked and then impressed by their passion and motivation to support their villages and communities back home.

    One boy from Azerbaijan told me he was selected for the exchange from over 100 applicants as the only student from his country. As a result, he said that he had a responsibility not to waste his time and represent all those other applicants and his country to the best of his ability.

    © Haruki Ume

    Haruki Ume plays with two boys during a visit to the Philippines in 2017.

    It was at this moment that I decided that I wanted to contribute more to society and so I started studying development issues. I travelled as much as I could during my vacations, to places like Cambodia, the Philippines, India, Peru, Egypt and Uganda.

    As a volunteer, I supported education and other initiatives during the field missions and was really driven by helping people who were less fortunate than I.  I also learnt a lot from these people, so I definitely valued it an exchange of experiences and knowledge.

    Understanding the outside world

    I was raised in a small town in rural Japan where there were no foreigners. People grow up, work and die there and many do not ever experience foreign cultures or really understand the outside world.

    UN News/Daniel Dickinson

    A UN Volunteers staff member explains the role of the organization to visitors at the UN Pavilion.

    I remember being nervous about speaking English and eating food that I was not used to, but I was keen to break through these personal barriers and broaden my world.

    Being open to new experiences has made it easier to adapt to other cultures and this understanding promotes peace and friendship and ultimately international cooperation.

    I have been working at the UN Pavilion at Expo 2025 to promote the UN and the work of UN Volunteers. I’m doing this in the spirit of building cooperation and creating positive change in the world.

    Expo 2025 is bringing the world to Osaka and is providing the opportunity for Japanese people to discuss how we can work together more effectively to create a fairer and more peaceful world.”

    The UN and volunteering

    • Headquartered in Bonn, Germany, UNV was established 1970 and is active in around 169 countries and territories every year.
    • In 2024, UNV deployed over 14,500 volunteers to almost 60 UN entities across the world.
    • They serve in diverse roles including: community development, human rights, humanitarian assistance, peacebuilding, medical services and communications.
    • 2026 has been designated by the UN as the International Year of Volunteers
    • Become a UN Volunteer

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI: BJMINING Unleashes AI-Powered Energy Arbitrage to Revolutionize Bitcoin Mining Profitability

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    London, July 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — With Bitcoin currently trading at $107,000 — up 60% year-to-date—many U.S.-based mining operations are facing existential threats as single-coin production costs soar to $137,000. In stark contrast, BJMINING, the UK-based cloud mining giant founded in 2015, has reduced its breakeven threshold to $68,000 by leveraging AI-powered dynamic energy networks. Operating more than 60 mining farms globally—100% powered by renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, geothermal, and hydro—BJMINING now serves over 5 million users across 180+ countries and has emerged as a premier ESG-compliant target for institutional capital.

    The 2025 Hashrate War: Survival Through AI and Green Innovation
    (1) Crisis of Inverted Margins

    Electricity Pricing Power: Electricity accounts for 75% of mining operation costs. In regions where prices exceed $0.12/kWh, over 40% of small and medium-sized mining farms have shut down.

    Profit Compression: Despite a 47% increase in global hashrate since the 2024 halving, block rewards have dropped to 3.125 BTC—bringing marginal profits dangerously close to zero.

    Seasonal Opportunity: Historical data shows a 70% probability of Bitcoin price increases in July. A breakout above $116,000 could potentially triple cloud mining returns.

    (2) BJMINING’s AI-Powered Energy Arbitrage Engine

    By dynamically reallocating computational workloads to regions with the lowest operational costs, BJMINING achieves a 42% reduction in energy-related expenses per unit of computing power. Highlights include:

    Midnight Hydropower in Norway: $0.028/kWh by leveraging off-peak grid loads

    Icelandic Geothermal: Stable year-round supply at $0.04/kWh

    Heat Recovery in Canada: Community heating technology slashes energy waste by 30% and earns government-backed carbon credits

    The Foundation of Trust: Triple-Layer Certification and Frictionless Experience

    Certification Dimension Backing Institution User Value
    Carbon-Neutral Operations United Nations Certification Compliant with ESG fund requirements
    Full Asset Insurance AIG (American International Group) Protection against hackers and natural disasters
    Security Defense McAfee® + Cloudflare® 99.99% DDoS protection success rate

    Transparency Engine: All mining operations and revenue distributions are verifiable on-chain.

    2025 Contract Yield Matrix (July Performance Test)
    CEO William Thomas launches tiered hedging contracts with zero management fees and multi-currency payment support:

    Contract Project Investment Amount The term Total revenue
    WhatsMiner M50S+ $100 2days $100+$6
    WhatsMiner M60S++ $600 7days $600+$52.50
    Avalon Miner A1566 $1,200 15days $1,200+$234
    WhatsMiner M66S+ $5,800 30days $5,800+$2,610
    Antminer L7 $12,000 40days $12,000+$8,160
    ANTSPACE HD5 $96,000 54days $96,000+$119,232

    “Our AI processes 170,000 energy data points per second—10,000 times more efficient than manual operations.”
    — William Thomas, CEO of BJMINING

    Technology Moat: Surpassing Human Limits

    AI Forecasting System: Anticipates hashrate surges 12 hours in advance, boosting returns by 19.7%.

    Auto-Reinvestment: Reinvestment efficiency is 23% higher than manual operations, ensuring no missed gains during bull markets.

    XRP/DOGE Payments: Cross-border settlements in under 2 minutes, enabling seamless DeFi yield scenarios.

    Industry Inflection Point: Retail Hashpower Migrates to AI Platforms
    According to Bitdeer, 35% of retail mining hashpower is expected to shift to AI-optimized platforms by 2026. With a decade of operational experience, BJMINING sets the new benchmark:

    Frictionless Onboarding: DOGE/XRP payments activate within 120 seconds; new users receive a $15 welcome bonus.

    Volatility-Resistant Architecture: Multi-currency mining (BTC/DOGE/XRP) automatically balances yield fluctuations.

    Global Consensus: Over 60 mining farms span Kazakhstan (nuclear energy at $0.03/kWh), Norway, and other low-cost energy regions.

    How to get started-

    Official Website: https://bjmining.com
    App Download: https://bjmining.com/xml/index.html#/app

    Since its founding in the UK in 2015, BJMINING has continuously integrated low-cost green energy networks worldwide. With over 60 mining farms strategically located in resource-rich regions such as Iceland (geothermal), Norway (hydropower), and Kazakhstan (nuclear), the company has built a dual moat of AI-powered energy scheduling and zero-carbon mining. Over the past decade, BJMINING has served more than 5 million users, with over 500,000 active miners operating daily.

    Legal Disclaimer: This media platform provides the content of this article on an “as-is” basis, without any warranties or representations of any kind, express or implied. We assume no responsibility for any inaccuracies, errors, or omissions. We do not assume any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information presented herein. Any concerns, complaints, or copyright issues related to this article should be directed to the content provider mentioned above.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Call for urgent reform of international governance structures

    Source: Government of South Africa

    By Gabi Khumalo

    Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – President Cyril Ramaphosa has called for enhanced global cooperation and urgent reform of international governance structures amid the “dramatic reshaping of global dynamics-politically, economically, technologically, and environmentally”.

    Speaking during the opening of the 17th BRICS Summit, currently underway in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, President Ramaphosa underscored the critical need for multilateral collaboration to address escalating global tensions and institutional inefficiencies.

    “With this change comes both opportunity and uncertainty. As conflicts persist, as new threats emerge and as old institutions falter, the pursuit of global peace and security has never been more urgent or more complex,” the President said.

    President Ramaphosa participated in the first session of the BRICS Summit, where he delivered an intervention under the theme: “Peace & Security, Reform of Global Governance”.

    The President underscored the need to reform the United Nations Security Council to become more democratic, regionally representative, and more accountable.

    He noted that the United Nations, in particular the Security Council which is the preeminent instrument for the maintenance of international peace and security, has too often failed to meet the challenges of today.

    “In responding to these challenges – ranging from humanitarian crises to open acts of aggression – the Security Council has become too rigid, too narrow and too disconnected from today’s multipolar realities.

    “Reform is a necessity. The Security Council must be made more democratic, more regionally representative and more accountable,” the President said.

    Strengthening regional peace mechanisms

    To further enable sustainable peace, the President emphasised the need for strong regional peace mechanisms. 

    “We must give them the resources and authority they need to lead efforts in dialogue, mediation and de-escalation. Localised responses, grounded in cultural and geopolitical understanding, are the frontline of peacebuilding.

    “The linkages between peace, security and development require a more comprehensive approach to conflict prevention and peacebuilding; an approach that addresses the underlying causes of conflict,” he said.

    Highlighting the role of BRICS in this evolving landscape, President Ramaphosa said BRICS is increasingly shaping global debates on development, multipolar governance and security matters.

    With a broad geographical footprint and growing influence, BRICS is uniquely positioned to advocate for reform in global governance structures.

    He called on BRICS to strengthen its voice in calling for a global framework that is inclusive, representative and anchored in the principles of sovereignty, equality and peaceful coexistence.

    “BRICS must continue to strengthen its cooperation on key security issues, including counterterrorism, cyber security and transnational crime,” the President said.

    Global digital governance framework 

    President Ramaphosa commended BRICS’ focus on a global digital governance framework that is inclusive, transparent and rooted in the principles of the United Nations.

    He reaffirmed South Africa’s commitment to the full implementation of the BRICS Counter Terrorism Strategy.

    The country remains steadfast in its support for the United Nations’ central role in global counter terrorism efforts.

    Call for diplomatic efforts to de-escalate tensions

    President Ramaphosa raised South Africa’s concerns at the deteriorating peace and security situation in the Middle East.

    The President condemned the recent attacks by Israel and the United States on the Islamic Republic of Iran, warning that the attacks raise serious concerns of international law, including the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity and the protection of civilians.

    He said South Africa understands the power of peaceful resolution through dialogue, given the country’s own experience. 

    “We must continue to advocate for the urgent intensification of diplomatic efforts to de-escalate tensions and ensure sustainable and lasting peace. We remain deeply concerned by the heavy human toll of conflicts in Russia and Ukraine, the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan and Gaza, among others. 

    “We must find just and lasting solutions to these devasting conflicts. Achieving and maintaining peace and security requires the collective will of the community of nations,” President Ramaphosa said.

    Summit deliberations

    During the BRICS Summit session, Heads of State and Government are expected to deliberate on issues pertaining to global governance reform, peace and security, the ongoing humanitarian impact of Israeli military action in Gaza and in conflicts in Sudan, Ukraine, Iran, and advocating for the sustainable resolution of conflicts through diplomacy, inclusive dialogue and a commitment to the United Nations Charter.

    The summit will also look into synergies between BRICS, COP30 and G20 outcomes, including in global governance of artificial intelligence and prioritising climate finance that is just, accessible and transformational. – SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • PM Modi calls for urgent reforms in global governance at 17th BRICS Summit

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday called for urgent reforms in global governance institutions, emphasising that the interests of the Global South must be given due importance in decision-making bodies that were built in the 20th century but continue to shape 21st-century challenges.

    Addressing the BRICS session on the ‘Reform of Global Governance’ in Rio de Janeiro, the Prime Minister extended his gratitude to Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva for the “excellent organisation” of the summit and praised his “vision and unwavering commitment” in energising the bloc.

    PM Modi remarked that under Brazil’s leadership, BRICS cooperation had received not just an “espresso” but a “double espresso shot”, applauding President Lula’s dynamic role. He also congratulated Indonesia’s President Prabowo Subianto on Indonesia’s inclusion in the BRICS grouping, calling it a welcome expansion of the bloc’s partnership.

    Highlighting the persistent neglect faced by the Global South, the PM said that developing nations have often been met with “double standards” on issues such as development, fair distribution of resources, and security. He pointed out that promises on climate finance, sustainable development, and technology transfer have frequently amounted to “nothing more than token gestures”.

    “Two-thirds of humanity still lack proper representation in global institutions built in the 20th century,” the Prime Minister noted, adding that this lack of inclusion affects the credibility and effectiveness of such bodies. Drawing an analogy, PM Modi said, “Without the Global South, these institutions are like a mobile phone with a SIM card but no network.”

    Calling for a new “multipolar and inclusive world order”, the Prime Minister urged BRICS nations to push for reforms in major global institutions, including the UN Security Council, the World Trade Organization, and Multilateral Development Banks. He stressed that these changes must go beyond symbolism and deliver tangible results, including reforms in governance structures, voting rights, and leadership roles.

    “In an age where technology evolves every week, it is unacceptable for global institutions to go eighty years without reform. You can’t run 21st-century software on 20th-century typewriters,” PM Modi said.

    The Prime Minister underscored India’s commitment to work constructively with BRICS partners to advance the interests of the Global South and humanity at large.

    “India has always considered it a duty to rise above self-interest and work for the greater good of humanity. We remain fully committed to contributing to this shared goal,” he said.

  • PM Modi calls for urgent reforms in global governance at 17th BRICS Summit

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday called for urgent reforms in global governance institutions, emphasising that the interests of the Global South must be given due importance in decision-making bodies that were built in the 20th century but continue to shape 21st-century challenges.

    Addressing the BRICS session on the ‘Reform of Global Governance’ in Rio de Janeiro, the Prime Minister extended his gratitude to Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva for the “excellent organisation” of the summit and praised his “vision and unwavering commitment” in energising the bloc.

    PM Modi remarked that under Brazil’s leadership, BRICS cooperation had received not just an “espresso” but a “double espresso shot”, applauding President Lula’s dynamic role. He also congratulated Indonesia’s President Prabowo Subianto on Indonesia’s inclusion in the BRICS grouping, calling it a welcome expansion of the bloc’s partnership.

    Highlighting the persistent neglect faced by the Global South, the PM said that developing nations have often been met with “double standards” on issues such as development, fair distribution of resources, and security. He pointed out that promises on climate finance, sustainable development, and technology transfer have frequently amounted to “nothing more than token gestures”.

    “Two-thirds of humanity still lack proper representation in global institutions built in the 20th century,” the Prime Minister noted, adding that this lack of inclusion affects the credibility and effectiveness of such bodies. Drawing an analogy, PM Modi said, “Without the Global South, these institutions are like a mobile phone with a SIM card but no network.”

    Calling for a new “multipolar and inclusive world order”, the Prime Minister urged BRICS nations to push for reforms in major global institutions, including the UN Security Council, the World Trade Organization, and Multilateral Development Banks. He stressed that these changes must go beyond symbolism and deliver tangible results, including reforms in governance structures, voting rights, and leadership roles.

    “In an age where technology evolves every week, it is unacceptable for global institutions to go eighty years without reform. You can’t run 21st-century software on 20th-century typewriters,” PM Modi said.

    The Prime Minister underscored India’s commitment to work constructively with BRICS partners to advance the interests of the Global South and humanity at large.

    “India has always considered it a duty to rise above self-interest and work for the greater good of humanity. We remain fully committed to contributing to this shared goal,” he said.

  • BRICS nations urge advanced economies to scale up climate finance for developing countries

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    BRICS member nations have called on advanced economies and the international financial system to provide “substantial” financing to support climate mitigation efforts in developing economies.

    “We call on advanced economies and other relevant actors in the international financial system, as well as the private sector, to provide substantial finance for climate actions in developing countries, including by expanding concessional finance and increasing private capital mobilisation,” Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors of BRICS countries said in a joint statement on Sunday, just ahead of the Summit.

    Highlighting the growing needs of emerging markets and developing economies (EMDEs), the group urged international financial institutions to scale up adaptation support and create conditions that would attract greater private sector participation in mitigation efforts.

    BRICS members also acknowledged the structural challenges posed by climate change, energy transitions, biodiversity loss and conservation efforts.

    “We reaffirm that predictable, equitable, accessible and affordable climate finance is indispensable for just transitions, in line with country circumstances and development priorities, and for meeting the goals of the UNFCCC and its Paris Agreement,” the statement said.

    India, a BRICS member, has consistently advocated for stronger climate finance arrangements, primarily from developed countries that are historically major carbon emitters. India has repeatedly underlined the need for adequate financial support, particularly for the Global South.

    Climate finance generally refers to funding directed at mitigation and adaptation measures to tackle climate change. Developing countries have long argued that developed nations, being historically larger emitters, must shoulder greater responsibility for funding mitigation and adaptation.

    Against the backdrop of global economic uncertainty and volatility, BRICS members said the International Monetary Fund (IMF) must remain adequately resourced and flexible to protect its members, particularly the most vulnerable.

    The statement also welcomed the New Development Bank’s steady efforts to expand its funding capacity, promote local currency financing, diversify funding sources, and back projects that advance sustainable development, reduce inequality and drive investment in infrastructure and economic integration.

    “As the New Development Bank is set to embark on its second golden decade of high-quality development, we recognise and support its growing role as a robust and strategic agent of development and modernisation in the Global South,” it said.

    BRICS members also reaffirmed that they would continue working through the second half of 2025 to push forward these initiatives and strengthen coordination for a smooth transition to India’s presidency in 2026.

    Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors of BRICS countries met in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on July 5 under the theme, “Strengthening Global South Cooperation for More Inclusive and Sustainable Governance.”

    Together, BRICS countries — Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa — account for nearly half of the world’s population, spread across four continents, and nearly 40 per cent of global GDP. The bloc has become more integrated with the world economy and now represents about a quarter of global trade and investment flows.

    The joint statement underlined that more needs to be done to ensure the benefits of globalisation, economic growth and productivity are shared more equally.

    According to a report by Rubix Data Sciences, total international trade (exports plus imports) of BRICS countries stood at USD 10.5 trillion in 2024, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 7.9 per cent between 2020 and 2024.

    BRICS nations remain net exporters, collectively selling more goods abroad than they import, underlining their strong production capacity and growing clout in global trade.

  • MIL-OSI Video: President Cyril Ramaphosa, received by President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva for XVII BRICS Summit.

    Source: Republic of South Africa (video statements)

    His excellency President Cyril Ramaphosa, received by His Excellency Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, President of the Federative Republic of Brazil, arrives at Museum of Modern Arts, In Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to attend the XVII BRICS Summit held from 6 to 7 July 2025.

    The theme of the Rio Summit is “Strengthening Global South Cooperation for More Inclusive and Sustainable Governance”.

    The Summit agenda emphasises the positive role that BRICS can play in shaping a more fair and just multipolar world order and demonstrating global leadership in global health, climate change and AI governance.

    Stay updated, South Africa! Subscribe to The Presidency’s Channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@PresidencyZA/?sub_confirmation=1.

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    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTIplp4de0c

    MIL OSI Video –

  • BRICS expands footprint, eyes stronger Global South cooperation under Brazil’s 2025 chairship

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The BRICS grouping, which brings together major emerging economies, has continued to expand its global footprint, adding new members and partners while outlining ambitious plans to deepen cooperation across sectors under Brazil’s ongoing chairship in 2025.

    Originally coined as BRIC by Goldman Sachs in 2001 in its paper The World Needs Better Economic BRICs, the acronym referred to Brazil, Russia, India and China, which the firm projected would occupy larger shares of the global economy in the coming decades. The idea took formal shape in 2006, when the leaders of Russia, India and China met on the sidelines of the G8 Outreach Summit in St. Petersburg. That same year, the first BRIC Foreign Ministers’ meeting was held alongside the UN General Assembly in New York, setting the stage for structured dialogue.

    The first BRIC Summit was hosted in Yekaterinburg, Russia, in 2009. The group became BRICS with the inclusion of South Africa in 2010. South Africa formally joined the third BRICS Summit held in Sanya in 2011.

    More than a decade later, the bloc witnessed its most significant expansion yet. In January 2024, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates became full members, followed by Indonesia’s entry as a full member in January 2025. Nine other countries — Belarus, Bolivia, Kazakhstan, Cuba, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda and Uzbekistan — were inducted as BRICS partner countries this year, underlining the group’s growing influence in the Global South.

    Together, the expanded BRICS now represents nearly half of the world’s population, contributes about 40 percent of global GDP, and accounts for roughly a quarter of global trade.

    Two pillars of cooperation

    BRICS functions through two broad mechanisms: consultations on issues of common interest through summits and ministerial meetings, and practical cooperation through working groups and senior officials in sectors such as trade, finance, health, education, science and technology, agriculture, environment, energy, labour, disaster management, anti-corruption and counter-narcotics efforts.

    Business linkages are promoted through the BRICS Business Council and the BRICS Women Business Alliance, while other exchanges span parliamentary forums, conferences and people-to-people initiatives.

    India’s 2021 chairship

    India last held the chairship in 2021, coinciding with the 15th anniversary of the bloc. Operating under the theme ‘BRICS@15: Intra-BRICS Cooperation for Continuity, Consolidation and Consensus’, India set priorities that focused on multilateral reform, counter-terrorism cooperation, digital tools for Sustainable Development Goals and wider people-to-people engagement.

    Over 150 meetings were convened during India’s term, including the Leaders’ Summit held virtually on September 9, 2021, and meetings of Foreign Ministers, National Security Advisers and key sectoral ministers. Several new initiatives were launched, including the first BRICS Digital Health Summit, the first Water Ministers’ Meeting, the adoption of a Counter-Terrorism Action Plan, the launch of the BRICS Alliance for Green Tourism and the signing of an agreement on a BRICS Remote Sensing Satellite Constellation.

    Brazil takes charge in 2025

    Brazil assumed the BRICS chairship on January 1, 2025, under the theme ‘Strengthening Global South Cooperation for More Inclusive and Sustainable Governance’. Brazil’s agenda focuses on deepening partnerships within the Global South and enhancing social, economic and environmental development across member states.

    The priorities for Brazil’s presidency include cooperation on global health, trade, investment and finance, climate change action, governance of artificial intelligence, institutional development and a push for reform of the global peace and security architecture.

    Nearly 120 events are planned under Brazil’s chairship this year, signalling the group’s intent to maintain momentum on issues that resonate with emerging economies.

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: The oldest rocks on Earth are more than four billion years old

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Hanika Rizo, Associate Professor, Department of Earth Sciences, Carleton University

    Earth formed about 4.6 billion years ago, during the geological eon known as the Hadean. The name “Hadean” comes from the Greek god of the underworld, reflecting the extreme heat that likely characterized the planet at the time.

    By 4.35 billion years ago, the Earth might have cooled down enough for the first crust to form and life to emerge.

    However, very little is known about this early chapter in Earth’s history, as rocks and minerals from that time are extremely rare. This lack of preserved geological records makes it difficult to reconstruct what the Earth looked like during the Hadean Eon, leaving many questions about its earliest evolution unanswered.

    We are part of a research team that has confirmed the oldest known rocks on Earth are located in northern Québec. Dating back more than four billion years, these rocks provide a rare and invaluable glimpse into the origins of our planet.

    Geologists Jonathan O’Neil and Chris Sole examine rocks in northern Québec.
    (H. Rizo), CC BY

    Remains from the Hadean Eon

    The Hadean Eon is the first period in the geological timescale, spanning from Earth’s formation 4.6 billion years ago and ending around 4.03 billion years ago.

    The oldest terrestrial materials ever dated by scientists are extremely rare zircon minerals that were discovered in western Australia. These zircons were formed as early as 4.4 billion years ago, and while their host rock eroded away, the durability of zircons allowed them to be preserved for a long time.

    Studies of these zircon minerals has given us clues about the Hadean environment, and the formation and evolution of Earth’s oldest crust. The zircons’ chemistry suggests that they formed in magmas produced by the melting of sediments deposited at the bottom of an ancient ocean. This suggests that the zircons are evidence that the Hadean Eon cooled rapidly, and liquid water oceans were formed early on.

    Other research on the Hadean zircons suggests that the Earth’s earliest crust was mafic (rich in magnesium and iron). Until recently, however, the existence of that crust remained to be confirmed.

    In 2008, a study led by one of us — associate professor Jonathan O’Neil (then a McGill University doctoral student) — proposed that rocks of this ancient crust had been preserved in northern Québec and were the only known vestige of the Hadean.

    Since then, the age of those rocks — found in the Nuvvuagittuq Greenstone Belt — has been controversial and the subject of ongoing scientific debate.

    The Nuvvuagittuq Greenstone Belt in northern Québec.
    (H. Rizo), CC BY

    ‘Big, old solid rock’

    The Nuvvuagittuq Greenstone Belt is located in the northernmost region of Québec, in the Nunavik region above the 55th parallel. Most of the rocks there are metamorphosed volcanic rocks, rich in magnesium and iron. The most common rocks in the belt are called the Ujaraaluk rocks, meaning “big old solid rock” in Inuktitut.

    The age of 4.3 billion years was proposed after variations in neodymium-142 were detected, an isotope produced exclusively during the Hadean through the radioactive decay of samarium-146. The relationship between samarium and neodymium isotope abundances had been previously used to date meteorites and lunar rocks, but before 2008 had never been applied to Earth rocks.

    This interpretation, however, was challenged by several research groups, some of whom studied zircons within the belt and proposed a younger age of at most 3.78 billion years, placing the rocks in the Archean Eon instead.

    Confirming the Hadean Age

    In the summer of 2017, we returned to the Nuvvuagittuq belt to take a closer look at the ancient rocks. This time, we collected intrusive rocks — called metagabbros — that cut across the Ujaraaluk rock formation, hoping to obtain independent age constraints. The fact that these newly studied metagabbros are in intrusion in the Ujaraaluk rocks implies that the latter must be older.

    The project was led by masters student Chris Sole at the University of Ottawa, who joined us in the field. Back in the laboratory, we collaborated with French geochronologist Jean-Louis Paquette. Additionally, two undergraduate students — David Benn (University of Ottawa) and Joeli Plakholm (Carleton University) participated to the project.

    We combined our field observations with petrology, geochemistry, geochronology and applied two independent samarium-neodymium age dating methods, dating techniques used to assess the absolute ages of magmatic rocks, before they became metamorphic rocks. Both assessments yielded the same result: the intrusive rocks are 4.16 billion years old.

    Sunset at the Nuvvuagittuq Greenstone Belt.
    (H. Rizo), CC BY

    The oldest rocks

    Since these metagabbros cut across the Ujaraaluk formation, the Ujaraaluk rocks must be even older, placing them firmly in the Hadean Eon.

    Studying the Nuvvuagittuq rocks, the only preserved rocks from the Hadean, provides a unique opportunity to learn about the earliest history of our planet. They can help us understand how the first continents formed, and how and when Earth’s environment evolved to become habitable.

    Hanika Rizo receives funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC).

    Jonathan O’Neil receives funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.

    – ref. The oldest rocks on Earth are more than four billion years old – https://theconversation.com/the-oldest-rocks-on-earth-are-more-than-four-billion-years-old-259657

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • PM Modi arrives at Rio Museum to attend BRICS Summit

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi was welcomed by Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva at the Museum of Modern Art in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday as he arrived to attend the 17th BRICS Leaders Summit.

    The Prime Minister will join other BRICS leaders to deliberate on global issues, including reforms in global governance, peace and security, multilateralism, artificial intelligence, climate change, global health, and economic challenges.

    This is PM Modi’s fourth visit to Brazil. After the two-day Summit, he will travel to Brasília for a State Visit — the first by an Indian Prime Minister in nearly six decades.

    “As a founding member, India remains committed to BRICS as a vital platform for cooperation among emerging economies,” the PM had said earlier this week. “Together, we strive for a more peaceful, equitable, just, democratic, and balanced multipolar world order.”

    On the sidelines of the Summit, PM Modi is expected to hold bilateral meetings with several world leaders.

    The last BRICS Summit, hosted by Russia in Kazan in October 2024, came at a time when the world was grappling with multiple challenges, including conflicts, climate impacts, and cyber threats.

    This year’s Summit holds significance for India as it will assume the BRICS Chairship next year. India last chaired the grouping in 2021, marking its 15th anniversary.

    India has consistently pitched itself as the voice of the Global South, pushing for the interests of developing countries on platforms like BRICS.

    The theme for this year’s Summit is ‘Strengthening Global South Cooperation for Inclusive and Sustainable Governance*. Sunday’s discussions will focus first on reforms in global governance, limited to full members only.

    Talks will then cover peace and security, multilateralism, economic and financial affairs, and the responsible use of AI, followed by an official reception hosted by President Lula.

    On Monday, leaders will meet again to discuss environment issues, COP30, and global health.

    — IANS